More and more information is freely available from data sources such as the Internet. For example, an abundance of data is available relating to products, such as books, CDs, DVDs and video games. Additionally, data entry methods are becoming more advanced, making it is easier to compile databases.
A problem occurs when individuals wish to access such data in everyday life. To take one example, upon entering a book shop, if a customer finds a book that is of interest, the customer may wish to know whether the price is competitive. There are numerous sites on the Internet that quote competitive book prices allowing prices to be compared, which would be of great use to that customer in this instance. Furthermore, the Internet can also provide further information, such as book reviews, and lists of alternative books on the same subject. However, accessing this data when it is needed can be difficult.
Mobile telephones provide one option to such a customer for accessing the Internet from any location, such as from the book store. Modern mobile phones, using technology such as WAP (wireless application protocol) are able to some give limited internet access, while new network standards such as 3G (third generation) improve connection speeds. However, there is a technical problem when trying to retrieve the required information in this manner, due to the large amounts of data involved, and the relatively small device having only a small human input interface and a small display. Thus in practice, using a mobile phone with Internet access according to known methods is an unsatisfactory solution to this problem.